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U.S. Enraged as Cuba Returned to U.N. Rights Body
Reuters ^ | 4/29/03

Posted on 04/29/2003 12:31:16 PM PDT by areafiftyone

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Cuba was reelected without opposition on Tuesday to the United Nations' top human rights body, prompting a fierce response by Washington that it was "like putting Al Capone in charge of bank security."

The voting took place in the 54-nation U.N. Economic and Social Council, which two years ago ousted the United States from the Human Rights Commission for the first time since Washington helped found it in 1947. The United States was returned to the body in a vote the following year.

In Washington, White House spokesman Ari Fleischer told reporters: "Cuba does not deserve a seat on the Human Rights Commission. Cuba deserves to be investigated by the Human Rights Commission."

In the last month, the Cuban authorities have rounded up 75 dissidents and imprisoned them for terms of up to 28 years. As part of the crackdown, Cuba also executed three men who hijacked a ferry in a failed bid to reach the United States.

"Having Cuba serve again on the Human Rights Commission is like putting Al Capone in charge of bank security," Fleischer said. "It is an inappropriate action that does not serve the cause of human rights in Cuba or at the United Nations."

Cuba's U.N. ambassador, Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla, accused the United States of executing minors and the mentally retarded people and abusing the rights of Afghan fighters long confined without charges in a U.S. base on Cuban territory.

Britain, whose soldiers last month invaded Iraq alongside U.S. forces, also won reelection to the Geneva-based 53-nation rights commission, easily fending off a challenge from states which opposed the war and defeating Portugal.

HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATORS

Human rights groups said this year's elections carried on a trend of increasing domination of the commission by noted human rights violators, many of whom, like Cuba, were proposed on a regional slate without opposition.

"You have a huge powerful and very well organized bloc that doesn't want any country criticized, opposes U.N. human rights monitoring and wants to weaken the office of the U.N. high commissioner for human rights," Joanna Weschler of Human Rights Watch told Reuters.

"It's almost a rule now. You get criticized by the commission or you might be, so you get a seat on the commission and you vote as a bloc against criticism," Weschler said.

Among other members with rights records that have come under fire are Democratic Republic of Congo, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Zimbabwe.

Countries are nominated for three-year seats on the commission through their U.N. regional groupings. most of this year's candidates were unopposed within their group.

Seats were contested only within the Asian group and the "Western Europe and Others" group, which includes the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

Sichan Siv. U.S. ambassador to the Economic and Social Council, briefly walked out of the session following Cuba's uncontested reelection, because, he said, Havana was "the worst violator of human rights in this hemisphere."

Winning a three-year term on the commission were Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Mauritania, Bhutan, Indonesia, Nepal, Qatar, Hungary, Dominican Republic, Honduras, Italy and Netherlands.

Reelected to new three-year terms were Britain, Costa Rica, Cuba, Democratic Republic of Congo, Guatemala, India, Peru, Russia, Saudi Arabia and South Africa.


TOPICS: Cuba; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: cuba; humanrights; un; unlist
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1 posted on 04/29/2003 12:31:17 PM PDT by areafiftyone
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To: areafiftyone
US out of the UN now!

UN out of the US now!
2 posted on 04/29/2003 12:32:17 PM PDT by So Cal Rocket (God bless the coalition troops and their families)
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To: areafiftyone
I'm hoping that this becomes the 'straw that breaks the camel's back' in stirring Congress into getting us out of that useless debating society.
3 posted on 04/29/2003 12:34:11 PM PDT by capt. norm
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To: areafiftyone
What more can they do to test us? It will be an embarrassment if we remain in much longer.
4 posted on 04/29/2003 12:37:03 PM PDT by Ruth A.
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To: areafiftyone
Ban the UN
5 posted on 04/29/2003 12:37:10 PM PDT by observer5
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To: areafiftyone
Put the UN on the list of organizations that support terroists.
6 posted on 04/29/2003 12:37:47 PM PDT by observer5
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To: areafiftyone; So Cal Rocket; *UN_List
Check out this latest item on the UN:

UN purges Iraq documents with $15-bn in question

OFFICIAL BUMP(TOPIC)LIST

7 posted on 04/29/2003 12:39:04 PM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach (Where is Saddam? and where is Tom Daschle?)
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To: So Cal Rocket
Why doesn't this surprise me? Can't we do something better with that piece of real estate, like build another Wal-Mart?
8 posted on 04/29/2003 12:39:10 PM PDT by aegiscg47
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To: capt. norm; Ruth A.; observer5
See the link to story at post #7.
9 posted on 04/29/2003 12:40:34 PM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach (Where is Saddam? and where is Tom Daschle?)
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To: aegiscg47
See the link to story at post #7.
10 posted on 04/29/2003 12:41:02 PM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach (Where is Saddam? and where is Tom Daschle?)
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach
The U.N. needs to be kicked out of the U.S. NYC could use the parking spaces!
11 posted on 04/29/2003 12:41:03 PM PDT by areafiftyone (The U.N. needs a good Flush!)
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To: observer5
Tart remark, astute, with a twist of cynicism. Refreshing!
12 posted on 04/29/2003 12:42:16 PM PDT by January24th
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To: areafiftyone
This on top of the fact that King Kofi laundered money from the Iraq "oil for food" program!
13 posted on 04/29/2003 12:42:35 PM PDT by wjcsux
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To: areafiftyone
Reason # 45,927 on why the US should thrown the UN out of this country.
14 posted on 04/29/2003 12:43:00 PM PDT by Guillermo (Sic 'em!)
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To: areafiftyone
The inmates have taken over the asylum.
15 posted on 04/29/2003 12:43:22 PM PDT by ladtx ("...the very obsession of your public service must be Duty, Honor, Country." D. MacArthur)
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To: areafiftyone
Talk about farcical. If anyone needs to know why we should get out of the UN NOW, here it is.
16 posted on 04/29/2003 12:43:24 PM PDT by goldstategop ( In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives On In My Heart Forever)
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To: capt. norm
I'm hoping that this becomes the 'straw that breaks the camel's back' in stirring Congress into getting us out of that useless debating society. - agreed!
17 posted on 04/29/2003 12:48:16 PM PDT by Free_at_last_-2001 (is clinton in jail yet?)
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To: areafiftyone
I'm confused. The article states that Cuba was reelected without opposition, but the US objected and our representative walked out. Did we not vote our objection, not have a vote...? Does anyone know?
18 posted on 04/29/2003 12:49:48 PM PDT by Truth29
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To: areafiftyone
Bump!
19 posted on 04/29/2003 12:50:17 PM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
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To: Truth29
We don't have a veto. Its comforting to know oppressive regimes are in charge of protecting human rights. I mean countries like Cuba and Saudi Arabia are picture perfect candidates for the job.
20 posted on 04/29/2003 12:51:24 PM PDT by goldstategop ( In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives On In My Heart Forever)
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